Foldable package carrier



J y 15,1941. L. FLECK Em. 2, 49,123

FOLDABLE PACKAGE CARRIER Filed Jan. 9, 1941 Leon FlecK BY Gabriel.Sucllestow ATTORNEY Patented July 15, 1941 OFFICE FOLDABLE PACKAGECARRIER Leon Fleck,

Bronx, and Gabriel Suchestow,

New York, N. Y.

Application January 9, 1941, Serial No. 373,744

3 Claims.

This invention relates to package and article carriers of the foldabletype, and more particularly to a carrier which is adapted to be movedalong on wheels over the ground.

In accordance with the invention we haveprovided a package carrier whichincludes two sticks one of which is provided with a curved handle. Thetwo sticks have a common pivot near their upper ends which is providedwith one or more hooks for suspending articles or packages therefrom.The lower ends of the two sticks are provided with wheels for moving thedevice over the ground. Each of the two sticks has a strut near itslower end, the free ends of the two struts being connected together by apin. The struts serve to space the lower ends of the wheel carryingsticks and are adapted to be folded together. 'Means are provided forpreventing the two struts from moving downwards out of a horizontalline. Thus a substantially isosceles triangle is formed when the twostruts are substantially horizontal.

In order to fold the package carrier of the invention the two struts aremoved upwardly on their pivot and the two sticks forming the carrierframe are locked together by means of a suitable catch. When the carrieris unfolded, the two wheels are substantially arranged one behind theother and are slightly offset. The one stick that is provided with thecurved handle is adapted to turn about its axis through 360. Hence, itwill be seen that the package carrier can be steered easily by means ofthe handle on one of the sticks.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improvedpackage carrier that moves on wheels and can be easily carried about inits folded state.

Another object of the invention is to provide a package carrier that canbe steered by rotating its front wheel secured to a stick having acurved v handle for the manipulation thereof.

Still an object of the invention is to provide a carrier of the typedisclosed which has an upper pivot point provided with at least one hookfor carrying packages thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide a locking means forlocking the carrier in its folded state.

These and further objects of the invention will become more evident inthe following description of a preferred embodiment of the inventionillustrated in the drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the package carrier of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a front View of the carrier of Fig. 1.

Fig. .3 is a side view of the device of Fig. 1 showing our improvedpackage carrier in its folded state.

Fig. 4 is a section on enlarged scale along the line 4- of Fig. 3showing the twostruts in folded position and theirT-shaped lockingmember.

Fig. 5 is a section on enlarged scale along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3illustrating the interlocking mechanism for locking the two sticks orrods when the carrier is folded.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a side view of the two connecting struts on enlarged scaleillustrating the T -shaped locking member that prevents collapsing ofthe struts.

Fig. 8 is a View in perspective showing the T- shaped locking member ofFig. 7.

Referring more particularly to the drawing the package carrier-of theinvention comprises a stick orrod I0 having a curved handle II formanipulating the carrier. Hence, members I0, II have the shape of awalking stick. The carrier includes a second stick or rod I2 which isshorter than stick I0. Stick I0 and rod I2 are pivoted at I3. Stick I9is provided with sleeve I4 which is integral with shaft I5 projectingthrough rod I2. Sleeve I4 is freely rotatable about'stick I0 and itslongitudinal displacementwith regard to stick I0 is prevented by ringsI6, I6 secured to stick I0. Thus it will be seen that stick I0 canfreely turn about its axis through an angle of 360. Suspending member I!having two hooks I8, I8 is rotatably mounted on shaft I5 between stickID and rod I2. The lower end of rod I2 is secured to sleeve I9 having abifurcated extension 20. Wheel 2I which preferably has a rubber tire 22is rotatably mounted in the two forks of extension 28. The lower end ofstick I0 is rigidly secured to sleeve 23 having a bifurcated extension29 of substantially the same shape as extension 20. Wheel 24 having arubber tire 25 is rotatably mounted within extension 29.

A strut member 26 is pivoted at 21 on a projecting portion 28 of sleeveI9. Ring 30 is rotatably mounted on sleeve 23 and has a projectingportion 3|. Collar 39 is secured to stick I0 above ring 30 to preventmovement thereof longitudinally of stick I0. Pin 32 is rotatably mountedon projection 3!. Strut member-33 is mounted on pin 32 to oscillatethereon.

The manner of connecting struts 26 and 33 to provide for a foldablecarrier is shown more particularly in Figs. 7 and 8. The free ends ofstruts 26 and 33 are rotatable about pivot 34 which supports a T-shapedlocking member 35. Looking member 35 has a horizontal plate 36 whichextends across the upper surfaces of struts 26 and 33. As will bereadily seen the T-shaped locking member 35 will prevent a furthercollapse of struts 26 and 33 from their position of Fig. 1. On the otherhand, by gripping plate 36 of locking member 35 the two struts 26 and 33can be swung upwardly.

The means for interlocking the two sticks l and 12 when the carrier isin its folded position is shown more particularly in Figs. and 6. Forthis purpose a portion of sleeve 23 is cut out and shaped to form ahinge 40. Hinge 40 supports pin 4!. U-shaped locking member or stirrup42 is secured to pin 4|. Sleeve IQ of rod l2'is provided with a cut-outhook-shaped portion '43 which is adapted to interlock with stirrup 42.

The operation of our improved package carrier will now be evident. Inits unfolded state, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the carrier can be pulledalong over the ground and can be steered by rotating handle ll. T-shapedlocking member 35 prevents the further collapse of struts 26 and 33.Packages and articles to be carried can be suspended from hooks l8, IS.The carrier will be pushed in front of the operator so that the personusing our improved package carrier willalways be able to see thepackages or articles suspended from hooks l8, l8. 1

When the carrier is not used for carrying packages or articles, it isfolded as shown in Fig. 3. At first, plate =36 of locking member- 35 isgripped and lifted until the struts 26 and 33 assume the position ofFig. 3. Now stirrup 42 is engaged with hook 43 to lock the carrier. Bylocking sleeves and 23 any 'displacementbf pivots 21 and 32-isprevented. In its folded state our improvedpackage carrier can beeasily carried about and takes up a minimum of space.

It will be appreciated that,'when thecarrier is in its unfolded state,the two wheels 2|, 24 are substantially arranged one behind the other,although the wheels are slightly offset, as may be observed from Fig. 2.It is possible to arrange rod 12 in'the position of .Fig, 2, or elserodl2 may be arranged on the right hand side of stick l0. W'hen'thepackage carrier is mounted as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, wheel 24 will bearranged to the right of wheel 21. This embodimentof the invention isparticularly adapted to be operatedby the right hand of the person.Whenv wheel 24 is arranged to the left of wheel 2|, the carrier isparticularly adapted to 'be steered by the left hand of the operator.Thus our improved package carrier can be adaptedfor use for righthandedand left handed persons.

Various changes and modifications maybe made to the details ofconstruction of the invenend, a sleeve freely rotatable about saidstick,

means for preventing longitudinal displacement ofsaid :sleeve in saidstick, a shaft rotatably connected with said sleeve and piercing saidrod to provide a common pivot, for said stick and said rod, a suspendingmember having at least one hook being secured to said shaft forsuspendingpackages therefrom, a wheel rotatably mounted at the lower endof said stick, a strut rotatably mounted on said rod near its lower end,a ring rotatable on said stick and having pivoted thereon a second strutthe free ends of said struts being pivoted to each other by a pin, aT-shap'ed locking'member on said pin for preventing collapse ofsaidstruts, and a catch on said stick vfor 'disengageably securing saids'tlck and-said rod in a position where they are in one plane, wherebythe carrier can be folded and unfolded by swinging said struts upwardsand downwards on said common pivot.

2. A package carrier including a 'rod and a stick formed Witha handle atits upper end, a wheelrotatably mounted at the lower end of each of saidstick and said-rod, a sleeve freely rotatable on the upper 'portionofsaid stick and secured against longitudinal displacement, said rod and"said stick being rotatable about a shaft piercingsaid rod, said shaftbeing rotatable on said sleeve, a suspendingmember on said shaft, means.for holding the lower ends of said stick andsaid rod in a-predetermineddistance, a hinge journalling a hor-izon'ta'l shaft therein, said hingebeing struck-out from the lowerend of said stick, a hook-shaped memberbeing struck out from said rod opposite 'sai'd hinge, an oscillatablestirrup on said horizontal shaft forengagement with said hook-shapedmember tolock said carrier in its folded position.

3. a package carrier having a substantially straight rod and asubstantially straight stick, a sleeve freely rotatable about-saidstick, means for preventing movement of said sleeve longitudinally ofsaid-stick, as'haft extending from said sleeve substantially at rightangles with respect to said stick and projecting through said rod, saidshaft being rotatable about said stick, whereby said stick is rotatableabout its longitudinal axis and said stickand said rod are Totatableabout an axis passing through both said stick and said rod.

LEON FLECK. GABRIEL SUCHESTOW.

